Obstetrical supporter



(No Model.)

J. J. STEPHENS.

OBSTETRIGAL SEEEOETEE.

Patented Mar 22, 1887.

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ATTORNEYS.

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rvrrnn STATES Parana Orrrcs.

JOSEPH J. STEPHENS, OF OOALESBURG, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, AND YVILLIAM H.XVELLER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

OBSTETRICAL suPPonTER.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,903, dated March22, 1887.

Application filed December 18, 1886. Serial No. 221,944. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osnrn J. STEPHENS, of Coalesburg, in the county ofHenry and State of Missouri, have invented a new and ImprovedObstetrical Supporter, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

My invention relates to that class of surgical appliances that arecommonly called obstetrical supporters, the maiuobject of my inventionbeing to provide a combination oi'straps, stirrups, and hand-pieces thatshall be so scientifically arranged as to aid the female when in labor,the arrangement being such that the apparatus will ease and materiallyincrease the effect of the bearing-down pains, thus shortening theperiod of labor and saving the patient from the wearying of protractedlabor, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, and specificallypointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a View showing the application of my improved obstetricalsupporter, and Fig. 2 is a view of the supporter as it appears whenremoved from the patient.

In the drawings above referred to, represenis the arm-rings, which arepreferably meiallic rings that are properly wadded and cov cred withleather or heavy clot-h. To each of the rings 10 there is secured a mainside strap, 11, a shoulder-strap, 1.2, and a breast-strap, 13, theshouldcrstrap extending from ring to ring, while the breast-strap iscentrally divided, one section being furnished with a buckle, while theother is formed with holes, with which the tongue of the buckle engages.

A backstrap, 15, is passed through loops 16, that are stitched to themain side straps, 11, and this back-strap is also provided with abuckle, as best shown in Fig. 2.

Below the loops 16 the straps 11 carry kneepads 17, the straps beingpassed through loops that are fixed to the pads, by which arrange ment Iprovide for a proper adjustment of said padsthat is, for an adjustmenttoward or from the arm-rings 10. To the lower end of the side straps Isecure stirrups 20, said stirrups being provided with buckles 21, thatare arranged to engage with the side straps,

the buckles also serving as a means for attachin g hand-straps 23, thatare provided with grips the knee-pads moved to position, so that the,

knees of thepatient will rest therein, the feet of the patient areinserted in the stirrups, and the hand-straps are adjusted over theknees, the hook 2 being brought into engagement with the eye 3, all asshown in Fig. 1. Instead of passing the back-strap through loops carriedby the side straps, the hackstrap might be provided with loops for thesupport of the side straps.

Physicians and others skilled in the art to which my invention relateswill readily appreciate the advantages of the construction abovedescribed, and will see how firmly all parts will be supported, and howthe efit'ect of the labor-pains will be facilitated and the period oflabor shortened.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an obstetrical supporter, the combination, with theshoulder-rings, of main side straps, stirrups, handstraps, and grips,and shoulder, back, and breast straps, substantially as described.

2. In an obstetrical supporter, the combination, with the paddedshonldenrings, of side straps, knee-pads held thereby, stirrupsadjustabl y connected thereto, hand-straps, grips connected to the handstraps, a back-strap passing through loops carried by the side straps,and shoulder and breast straps connectcd to the shoulder-rings,substantially as described.

3. In an obstetrical supporter, the combination, with theshoulder-rings, of main side straps, stirrnps, hand-straps, grips, alock carried by the handstraps or grips, and shoulder, back, and breaststraps, substantially as described.

JOSEPH J. STEPHENS.

lVitnesses:

G. A. GALVIRD, 'lnno. J. BoL'roN.

